Schools were yesterday urged to have a workable policy outlining how to prevent and counter bullying, an abuse that is present in all schools be they government, Church or private.
Although some schools already have policy guidelines on how to deal with incidents of bullying, this cannot be said about all schools, Manola Mousù, from the Safe Schools Programmes' Anti-Bullying Department within the Education Ministry, explained.
However, she stressed, it is important that these policies are not just locked up in the school cupboard. It must be ensured that school staff know how to use them and are aware of what to do if they come across an instance of bullying.
Ms Mousù was speaking during a conference entitled Healthy Youth, Healthy Nation: Enhancing Relationships For The Common Good, held for people who work with young people.
The conference, held under the auspices of the Commissioner for Children Carmen Zammit and AIESEC, the international student organisation, covered various issues concerning young people such as adolescent development, spiritual development, the path to success and the active participation of young people.
Bullying was also discussed during a panel discussion where psychologist Mark Borg noted that, although bullying was most common in primary schools, the severity of the bullying action increased over age.
Often bullying started from less serious actions like teasing and teachers and parents ought to be aware of this and work together to curb bullying from the very start.
Prof. Borg added that there was no one profile of a victim of bullying or of a child likely to become a bully. Anyone could be bullied or be a bully, he said. Most cases of bullying start in schools and can be resolved at that stage with a team effort of parents and school staff.
Ms Mousù added that it was important to encourage children who are victims of bullying to speak up and it was also important to educate the children around these victims to do the same thing.
During her address Ms Zammit, the Children's Commissioner, outlined the numerous facets of a child's development that included health and nutrition, family life, quality education and the promotion of cultural tolerance amongst other things.
She said that, when working with children, an interdisciplinary approach was essential. "It is vital that these various elements come together and work together simultaneously in order for our children to develop in a holistic manner," she said.